Being a student-athlete, especially at the Division I level, comes with its pros and cons. The combination of maintaining high grades, performing on the field every week and busy schedules can be tough on the mental health of student-athletes.
A number of them turn to one thing most: their faith in God. At Marist, sports and faith come together at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
FCA, a sports-based faith program for athletes and coaches that combines faith and sport into one place, began in 1954. Since the organization’s inauguration, FCA has expanded to over 100 countries and more than 20,000 certified groups.
Per their official website, FCA strives to “lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church [and] to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.”
Marist University established FCA in 2024 with a second-to-none impact on its students. Every week, the group meets on Monday nights at 7 p.m. in their bible studies nicknamed “huddles.”
These huddles consist of “athletes from multiple sports who discuss faith, sports, struggles, victories and engage in fellowship with each other, while enjoying scripture, great food, fun games, and plenty of competition.” The group also has special talks from local pastors, along with worship and game nights.
Two student-athletes lead the program: volleyball’s redshirt junior middle-blocker Mikayla Keefer and football’s redshirt sophomore linebacker James Kratochvil.
Kratochvil’s Christianity began during his freshman year of college, while Keefer has practiced the religion her whole life. Keefer’s parents are leaders of Athletes in Action, a similar program to FCA, at the University of Michigan.
Faith plays a huge role for Kratochvil and Keefer, especially in their sport.
“[Faith] has really helped my mental health, my self-worth and everything, knowing that I am secure no matter how well I do on the court or how poorly I do,” said Keefer. “I think I play more freely, and I am less concerned about how other people view me, knowing that I am free and perfectly loved, no matter what happens.”
“For me, faith is bigger than sports,” said Kratochvil. “The biggest thing is that I make sure I keep my eyes on God regardless of whether I win or lose.”
Under the leadership of Keefer and Kratochvil, FCA experienced significant growth. The size of the program tripled in one calendar year. Last year, six to 10 people showed up to the huddles, but this year, as many as 30 people attended meetings.
“Looking back at the first meeting that we had this year, 30 people was something that I did not imagine. It took a while, but it was really cool to see the prayers that I prayed being fulfilled in front of my eyes,” said Kratochvil.
To help grow the group, Kratochvil and Keefer spread the word to their teammates and invited them to their bible studies. The two admitted they were hesitant to reach out to their teammates, a daunting task at first, but the work paid dividends.
“During camp, I asked all of the new players if they had any interest in coming to FCA meetings,” said Kratochvil. “In team introductions, I told everyone that I gave my life to Christ about two years ago, and I really want people to reach out to me if FCA is something that they’re curious about.”
Being a Christian athlete is not always the easiest thing, especially in college, and FCA creates a community of like-minded people who help each other grow in their faith and as people.
“I would say for the community, it’s really a safe space for all Christian athletes who are like-minded people coming together and getting to share the hardships of what it’s like being a Christian athlete on your team,” said Keefer.
A group of compatible people creates a special environment for these athletes. The students can learn and grow in their faith with one another and create bonds with their teammates, which can inspire their relationships on and off the court or field.
“I feel like the environment in the room is amazing because there are so many people who are passionate and very curious about learning about God, which inspires me because it makes me want to do this more and more,” said Kratochvil.
Though FCA is a sports-focused faith group, it is for more than just athletes; everyone can join. Keefer and Kratochvil advocate for non-athletes to join FCA. In fact, some people bring their boyfriends, girlfriends and even their advisors.
“It’s truly open to anybody,” said Keefer. “I know it’s called the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and we try to tie everything we talk about into our sport, but we welcome anyone.”
With nearly 30 student-athletes who are passionate about FCA and Christ, the future of the young Marist installment lies in good hands. FCA wants to connect with people and share their stories, while keeping God in the center of their sport.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to bring people to God, bring people to Christ,” said Kratochvil. “Our message is to be the light that Jesus asked us to be and knows we can be.”
Edited by Mike Duda and Mike Schiavone
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo
Photos from Marist Athletics
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